While on the way home from my cousin's house, I spotted this beautiful flower along the way. At first I thought it was a stray cactus-like flower. But upon further research, I discovered that this flower only blooms at night and only lasts one night before wilting.
This flower is a real-life fairy tale, a rare and precious plant. In the hit film, "Crazy Rich Asians", it was a plotline for a scene about this precious flower's mysterious blooming process in the house’s party.
Originally from Guatemala, it was imported to China in the 1600s where it's also known as orchid cactus, night-blooming cereus, orchid cactus, tan hua, Pitaya flower and ghost orchid. Culturally in Asia, this coming out event is considered a sacred experience -- especially in India where it's said to bring luck and prosperity to households who are lucky enough to witness it.
The flower also serves as a reminder for Impermanence that all things are fleeting. It was beautiful for a moment and fleeting as it lasted for a short while. Nevertheless, we are still able to enjoy and appreciate it while it lasts. This is why it is beautiful and rare...
The life of a night-blooming cereus
The plant bloomed at 11pm.
The size of the flower is about an adult's hand.
The flower starts to wilt at about 9am on the next day.
This is happens to the flower at 10pm on the next day.